. . . When put into HA this is combined into a dotted minim. Now musically this is the same but graphically it is not. . . .

If you double-click on the note in question, you will open the Note Options window. Over on the right side of the window is a section labeled "Splitting." Adjust the slider until the displayed note value is the one you want for the first of the tied notes. When you okay this change, you will see that the note now appears as two tied notes.

It all depends on the complexity of the score you are trying to reproduce. In many of the cases when you wish to displace one of the two tied notes, the other will move the same distance, making my suggestion a less-than-optimal approach. In general, however, unlike others on this forum, I have a preference for using ties whenever they are feasible.